Conor McGregor deletes CCTV footage relating to civil rape case

During the High Court trial, a jury found that he had raped a woman in a Dublin hotel six years ago.

Conor McGregor arrives at the High Court with his girlfriend Dee Devlin during the case. File Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

MMA fighter Conor McGregor has deleted CCTV footage relating to a civil case against him, according to a court document.

At a High Court trial, Nikita Hand won her claim for damages against Mr McGregor after accusing the mixed martial arts fighter of raping her in December 2018.

Last week, Mr McGregor was ordered not to share CCTV footage relating to the case.

According to the Irish Times, a document filed in court now says Mr McGregor has deleted copies of the footage.

The footage, which was gathered by An Garda Siochána, was shown several times during the case and was the subject of media coverage.

Earlier this month, lawyers for Ms Hand sought assurances in the High Court that Mr McGregor would not disseminate the material after newspaper reports suggested it could be widely released.

'Undermining' court findings

Senior counsel Ray Boland, representing Ms Hand, said Mr McGregor intended to disseminate selected pieces of the evidence with a view to “undermining and discrediting” the findings of the court.

Barrister Remy Farrell, acting for Mr McGregor, said a High Court order was not necessary as there was already an implied undertaking that material for the case would not be misused or disseminated.

High Court judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens said that any leaking of footage would be a gross contempt of court.

He said it was “necessary to nip all of this in the bud”, and directed Mr McGregor to return ”all fobs or sticks” containing the footage to his solicitor and arrange the permanent deletion of the files from computers and phones.

The judge also directed him to make an affidavit indicating what copies had been made and how they were deleted.

Mr McGregor would be allowed to see the footage again, if necessary, under supervision at his solicitor’s office.

He was directed to retrieve the material from anyone who had received it through his actions, if that had occurred.

- Additional reporting by PA